for anyone who might be wondering about used shrouds, i work at a sailing camp near the NC coast, old shrouds will break, we break a shroud once every few weeks or so (with a fleet of 8 or 9 Hobies sailing in strong winds). To be fair, it makes our lives that much more exciting when something goes wrong (plus the kids get to go home and tell their parents the boat they were on exploded). Old equipment can make for an exciting sail and some good stories.

Never try to save a couple dollars on standing rig. Trust me one lost shroud cost me $500 on my H-18. Buy new ones is my opinion.

To Matt Miller:

Would you consider posting this sort of question/answer in the FAQ section? Among the boat maintenance issues, this seems to come up often enough to justify consideration. Even though it may sound like Hobie is trying to sell parts, a cost/benefit analysis calculates in favor of spending a little more now to save spending a lot in time (off the water) and money later.